The Children of Fort Langley Sesquicentennial Reunion

The reunion went really well. We got pictures and everything! Watch this space for more info.

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2008 is a special year. On 19 November 2008. British Columbia will officially be 150 years old. That's what the word "Sesquicentennial" means, and I quote:

Ses-qui-cen-ten-ni-al

–adjective

1.	pertaining to or marking the completion of a period of 150 years.

–noun

2.	a 150th anniversary or its celebration.

(Thank you, dictionary.com.)

The Children of Fort Langley
Sesquicentennial Reunion
Fort Langley National Historic Site of Canada
3:30 p.m. on 3 August 2008

Over 100 men worked at Fort Langley for the Hudson's Bay Company between 1827 and 1886. Most of those men had wives. Most of those wives had children, who had children and well, in March 2000, the Children of Fort Langley was born. The Children of Fort Langley are the descendants of those men and women.

We are ethnically diverse.

We live in all four corners of the world.

And on August 3rd, 2008, we had a reunion.

A Special Reception was held for us…

When:	August 3rd, 2008
Time:	3:30 p.m.
Where:	Fort Langley National Historic Site of Canada

80 descendants attended, and, after polling those who did attend, we're going to have another reunion in 2010 ... may clash with the Olympics. Of then, it might bring more descendants here.

Anyway, if you...

were at one or both of the first two reunions and have not received your invitation
descend from any of Fort Langley's historical Hudson's Bay Company employees

...we would now like to invite you to the reunion.

Now that we've had three reunions, we're looking to do something more than sit around, looking at each other, and feeling Special.

Please send your suggestions, comments, and/or recommendations to:

Lisa Peppan
Founder, Children of Fort Langley

See you in 2010!

We're now on Facebook.

ADDITIONAL INFO

The Special Reception for the descendants was held on Sunday, 3 Aug 2008, at 3:30 pm, but our founder, Lisa Peppan, was on site through out the entire weekend.

If you have a family tree showing your line of descent from your fort employee ancestor, bring it along.

If you have holes in your family tree, bring 'em along. Let's see if we can fill the gaps.

Be prepared to identify yourself as a descendant. Though free admission is not possible, we will get the group rate discount. Bring your invitations. If you don't have an invitation, contact Lisa Peppan or Gerry Borden

PROBLEMS

The biggest problem is contacting descendants. So many of the email addresses I have are outdated, if only I had mailing addresses...

Did you just wonder how you could help...?

Cool. Thank you. I need all the help I can get.

GOING OUT ON A LIMB

In order to be certain to spread the word and miss as few descendants as possible, the following is a list of the Descendants and their Ancestors who I have been unable to contact.

And, before we go any further, yes, I know that the Hawaiian word for person has a History. I use Kanaka not only because it is the Hawaiian word for person, but because some of those listed below only said they descended from "a Kanaka."

If you know any of these people, call'em, visit'em, send 'em an e-mail, drop 'em snail mail, ask them if they know about the Children of Fort Langley Sesquicentennial Reunion. Then ask'em to get a hold of me or Gerry Borden.

Timeline

Early in the morning of Wednesday 27th June 1827, twenty-five men slid their two boats into the waters of the Columbia River at Fort Vancouver on their way to "form an Establishment at the Entrance of Fraser' s River".

At noon, Monday, 30th July 1827, the men were "all busily employed in clearing ground for an Establishment", though they spent that night -- as well as the next 5 nights -- aboard ship.

2nd August 1827, ground was for the Bastion.

21 August 1827, a trench was dug for the walls.

31 August, second Bastion built and roofed.

Monday 8th October [1827], clerk and journal keeper George Barnston writes,

"We got comfortably housed in our new lodgings, and the men are now all occupied in rendering their own dwellings habitable, with the exception of a few hands who are kept constantly employed in rooting out & burning the Stumps within and without the Fort, which is a work of no small toil and trouble..."

Fast-forward 31 years

2 August 1858, British Parliament passed an Act to establish the Colony of British Columbia.

19 Nov 1858, Governor James Douglas signed papers making British Columbia a crown colony of England.

Fast forward 150 years

August 2 - 4, 2008, Fort Langley's annual Brigade Days, held at the Fort Langley National Historic Site of Canada. Brigade Days, this year, was focused on the Sesquicentennial celebration.

Our Founder Thinking Out Loud

In 2001, I said I wanted to make a large sign, out of cloth, that says, in large friendly letter, "The Children of Fort Langley". It hasn't happened ... yet.

And after the 2008 reunion, I'm thinking the Children of Fort Langley needs a logo, something that represents our diversity and our unity ... something we could put on letterhead, the website ... maybe t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts. I have so many things on my plate right now, so I must needs to learn how to relegate. Are there any descendants who are graphically able to create such a thing?

Inquiring minds need to know.

Thanks, folks, and I promise that 2008 is the year I get organized.

All Best,

Lisa M. Peppan
Founder, Children of Fort Langley

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